Just Play!

Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism encourages kids to visit neighborhood playgrounds with free activity program

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Cullman Wellness & Aquatic Center Health and Wellness Coordinator Kayti Murphree speaks to some attendees at a Just Play event at Stiefelmeyer Park Friday, June 21, 2019. (Heather Mann for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala. – Since 2016, Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism (CP&R) has hosted summer activities at local parks and playgrounds to help keep kids active and showcase areas that may be less well-known in the community. Known as “Just Play!,” the program features free games and activities at a different park each Friday in June. During a Just Play period, kids can play with bubbles and sidewalk chalk, do some yard bowling, play disc golf (if the parks has the equipment for it) and enjoy the playground equipment at each of the featured parks.

This year’s program has already visited Carroll Acres and Culpepper Parks, and was at Stiefelmeyer Park Friday. Kayti Murphree, health and wellness coordinator at the Cullman Wellness & Aquatic Center (CWAC), was there to give a few words about the program.

“We like to change things up and feature our neighborhood parks. That way we can show off different areas of Cullman that aren’t necessarily on the main path,” said Murphree. “We really want to feature the new playground equipment that we’ve put in the neighborhood parks and the updates that we’re trying to do around the community.”

The program has averaged around 25 kids each Friday, and Murphree hopes that the last day will bring a big crowd to close out the year.

“We really hope it continues to grow, because we love that everyone discovers a new playground every year and new people hear more and more about it.”

For those who haven’t gotten to participate this year, the last Just Play will be at Ingle Park (1625 Cleveland Ave. SW, Cullman AL 35055) to feature the Connected Playground Friday, June 28 from 10 a.m.-noon.

Murphree said CP&R also has some upcoming events for movie lovers.

Dive-In Movies at CWAC will be Thursday, July 18 (“Inside Out”) and Thursday, Aug. 1 (“A Bug’s Life”). Both movies will start at 8:45 p.m. by the outdoor pool. Admission is $7 for non-CWAC members and free for CWAC members.

A Drive-in Movie at Nesmith Park will be Friday, July 26 (“Mary Poppins Returns”) and is free.

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Heather Mann

heather@cullmantribune.com